Our Unforgettable Festive Escape to Niyama

We have just returned from an 11-day stay at Niyama during the festive season. Having traveled to the Maldives over the festive period for 20 years， Niyama is the only resort we've revisited because of our fantastic first experience， and once again， we were not let down. With two teens (16 and 14)， we stayed in two water villas. Upon arrival， they inquired about our preferred room cleaning times， and without fail， our rooms were impeccably cleaned twice daily. At our first breakfast， my wife mentioned her love for papaya， and Chef Pradeep ensured there was a platter ready each morning. Thanks to Chef Santosh for preparing our fruit and Nutella crepes with extra Nutella! I got hooked on the Dosas a few days in. After sharing my love for them with Pritesh， Chef Kuran made sure we had them every morning， even at a different restaurant! On the 3rd day， we met Moses at the Tribal restaurant， and his cooking left a lasting impression on my son. We also enjoyed Chef Adham's dishes on Arabic night. The chefs' expertise and attention to detail were remarkable. Returning guests were remembered by the staff， who ensured we had everything we needed， like being around family. Special thanks to Xim， Shaad， Ali， Asso， Faz， and Chef Said， who went out of their way to pamper us， down to the chip colors. Saying goodbye was truly heartbreaking. We celebrated our anniversary with a private dinner arranged by our thakaru， Zaid. Chef Rohan entertained us with his cooking and rapping， delighting our children. We later learned Zaid had organized a special villa surprise. Zaid was one of the best thakarus we’ve ever had， attentive to our every conversation. A big thanks to Shaan at water sports for keeping our teens entertained. Regretfully， we didn't say proper goodbyes. Thank you， Charlie and Redy， for the perfect mocktails every night. We also met Nao， whose departure was genuinely felt—a display of love beyond customer service. We've found our island， and on top of all that， the island's breathtaking beauty matches the photos. Note: There is a teen room， and personalized bikes are provided. P.S. Say hi to Imran the Coconut Man， who is truly part of the island. Until next time， Niyama， inshallah. Junaid